PEORIA, Ill. – A federal court has dismissed a civil rights lawsuit against the city of Peoria and Peoria County, along with numerous former police officers and prosecutors, relating to the conviction of Cleve Heidelberg.
The 2018 lawsuit, dismissed last week by United States Federal District Court Judge Sara Darrow, claimed Heidelberg was wrongfully convicted in the May 1970 murder of Peoria County Segreant Ray Espinoza during an attempted robbery at the former Bellevue drive-in.
Heidelberg’s car, which was used in the murder, was part of a high-speed chase that ended in a crash in Peoria at Blaine and Butler.
The driver left the scene on foot and Heidelberg was found by police hiding on a porch near the crash site.
He was convicted later that year after the jury rejected claims that another man used his car to commit the murder.
Heidelberg was granted a new trial in 2015 after another man, Matt Clark, testified that his brother, James, claimed responsibility for the murder.
The county appealed the decision and intended to re-try Heidelberg, but he had passed away.
Heidelberg’s heirs filed a 100-million-dollar lawsuit, but Judge Sara Darrow was skeptical about allegations that evidence was fabricated by police that led to his conviction.
In a joint statement, Peoria and Peoria County officials believe the dismissal would withstand any further legal challenges.
“The County has always had full confidence that the right person was convicted of Sgt. Espinoza’s tragic murder. This will hopefully provide Sgt. Espinoza’s family some much deserved and long-awaited closure,” said Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos.
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